Members of the legislature’s Education Committee are considering a proposal that would require handwriting be taught in grade school.
Rep. Heidi Sampson, a Republican from Alfred, says there are lifelong benefits to learning cursive handwriting.
“The act of taking notes by hand instead of on a computer encourages a student to process the content and reframe it which leads to better understanding and retention,” Sampson says.
But the legislation is opposed by several groups, including the Maine School Management Association.
Executive Director Steve Bailey says while there are benefits to learning cursive, curriculum decisions should be made by local school boards, not the state.
“This is another situation of curriculum being mandated through legislation,” says Bailey. “We oppose LD 387 because we oppose that process of mandating curriculum through legislation.”
